New aid strategy published alongside the government’s Strategic Defence and Security Review.

Britain’s aid spending will be restructured to tackle some of today’s biggest global challenges including mass migration, disease, the threat of terrorism and global climate change, the Chancellor George Osborne and Secretary of State for International Development Justine Greening have announced today (23 November).

The new strategy sets out how tackling poverty and serving Britain’s interests are linked and shows how our aid investment can achieve both goals.

Ahead of this week’s Spending Review, the government has published its new aid strategy, re-affirming its commitment to spend 0.7% of national income on official development assistance (ODA), and setting out how development spending will meet Britain’s moral obligation to the world’s poorest and also support its national interest.

The strategy will fulfil the government’s manifesto commitments and, on priorities such as vaccines, malaria and family planning, will commit to delivering ambitious outcomes which go beyond existing commitments.

A number of significant announcements are set out in the plan, including:

a new £1 billion commitment – over five years – to global public health (the “Ross Fund”) which will fund work to tackle the most dangerous diseases, including malaria

the allocation of 50% of DFID’s budget to fragile states and regions in every year of this Parliament

expansion of the cross-government Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF), supporting the international work of the National Security Council

a new £500 million ODA crisis reserve to allow greater flexibility to respond to emerging crises, such as the movement of Syrian refugees

In a joint statement, George Osborne and Justine Greening said:

We believe this fundamental shift in how we use 0.7% of our national income will show there is no distinction between reducing poverty, tackling global challenges and serving our national interest – all are inextricably linked.

We will ensure that every penny of money spent delivers value for taxpayers, and projects that do not will be cancelled.

With this new strategy, Britain can be proud to be a country that not only meets its responsibilities to the world’s poorest, but in doing so best serves and protects its own security and interests.